


Waking Up, Tumbling Down

by seasalt (lawboy)



Series: My Gemsonas [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, NOT SU:F COMPLIANT, i honestly dont expect anyone to read this, it’s just about my gemsonas, there are like no canon characters in it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22648870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawboy/pseuds/seasalt
Summary: Prasiolite 4DB's existence was simple: she was given work, and she did it. Year in, year out, without question. She never expected anything more for herself— until a chance encounter with a Pearl opened her eyes, destroyed her life, and sent her spiralling into the increasingly darker depths of Homeworld's ruins.
Series: My Gemsonas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1629247
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Ch1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this in october last year and just gave it a spit and polish now to post it. so dont think i neglected my other fics for this!! more zircontent is coming soon i just needed a few days break

2AG had her hands rooted in the console, eyes aglow as her memories projected out onto the holoscreen. The other Prasiolites gathered round, filled with a burbling curiosity. 2AG was ancient, for a Prasiolite, and so was always given the greatest tasks. When the Sapphires had predicted the rebels' defeat— in Blue Diamond's own court, no less —she had been the one called to capture the event. What had unfolded instead was monumental. A prediction unfulfilled, a _cross-gem fusion_ — 2AG had spent days cloistered away with the Pyrites, getting every little detail correct for the knowledge banks. And now she was home, ready to share, and the anticipation had them in chills.

When the renegade pearl appeared onscreen, the whole room burst into laughter. Not out of joy— that was not something a mere Prasiolite had place to know— it was a warning cry, an alarm: _this is unprecedented._

It danced like any other pearl 4DB had had the pleasure to witness— but normally graceful, empty hands were filled with swords carved of steel— _material weapons_ —and now she was laughing along with her workmates. Laughing, but her keen, scanning eyes were sweeping over the screen, recording every instance and tucking it away deep inside herself: a little wonder. A pearl who fought.

——

The next time 4DB saw a pearl, it was over her own holoscreen. It stood staring blankly, green-tinted, a tumble of dark curls catching its shoulders. In that polite nasally voice that all pearls affected, it delivered its Emerald's request: 4DB was to travel to the Earth colony to witness a platoon inspection. It was a rather humdrum, routine task, but the thought of going offworld still thrilled her. 4DB had heard wondrous things from her senior workmates: the _colour_ , they'd said, that the planet burst with was unthinkable.

She traversed the blank halls, path intersecting with a handful of Citrines that, it turned out, were also coming on the inspection. And then they stopped at a door, and a scarlet Hessonite strode out, her pale, thin-limbed pearl trailing behind her. As they headed for the warp tower, 4DB couldn't help but notice how the pearl kept behind them all, even the Citrines, yet scurried forward at each door that needed opening, head ducked like it was expecting trouble. The one time it took a second too long, its Hessonite just hissed under her breath, fists clenching imperceptibly— a clear message: _you'll feel this later._

As they stepped onto the warp pad together, she glanced at the pearl. Glancing was a dangerous thing— all she saw, all she heard, had to be strictly in line. Wandering eyes had more than once led to a Prasiolite's execution. And yet she couldn't take her eyes off it. White-haired, with gentle sunrise-pink skin and dark eyes that spoke harsher things beyond its smile— 4DB looked at it, and it looked back.

And then the light engulfed them.

When their feet touched ground again, she opened her eyes and took a rigid stance. Her job had officially begun. She marched beside the Hessonite through the camp, ears selectively tuning to the most important sounds, head roving and bobbing to maintain a steady recording. Mouth sealed shut.

A rather grim blue-and-white Agate met them, giving a stiff smile and an equally stiff salute. Her face dropped when she heard what they were there for— 4DB made sure to zoom in on the roughhousing Jaspers in the background, for just a moment.

"I'm afraid this isn't the best platoon, despite my efforts." She said sourly. A crash behind her, and she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm sure our lustrous Emerald has heard about the- issues with this batch?"

"The abnormal number of defects?" If Hessonite felt anything, she didn't give it away. She turned to her pearl, brow creasing. "Pull up the report."

"Yes, my Hessonite."

The hologram that hovered in its palm trembled slightly. The pearl skimmed through the report, stopping at a highlighted line.

"37% of all Gems produced in the Beta Kindergarten have been defective." It read. Its voice twined harmoniously with the strange rushing sound of the planet's atmosphere. "Are there any other sections you'd like to-"

"No. That will be all."

They continued their stroll through the camp. The Quartzes ran beside them, tumbling and fighting and laughing into the air. 4DB wondered what their party's Citrines thought of them. Not much, she suspected.

And then it happened. So quickly she could hardly process, the world fell into chaos. Rebels spilt from the surrounding life-growth zones, strangely-dressed and wielding material swords, hammers, axes; 4DB wasn't laughing now. Hessonite gave the order to _retreat back to Homeworld,_ and they ran. Stumbling, jumping, eyes unfocused as whirling bodies and glinting steel turned her whole field of vision to a blur. She was behind them all, too small to keep up with the powerful Citrines or the massive Hessonite or even the weak, dainty-limbed pearl. She could hide amongst the bodies raging on that soft, green-haired soil.

And so she hid, blending in, green on green. So focused on survival, and yet her prime directive kicked in: _capture it._ So as she crept and stumbled and crawled, dodged feet bigger than her head, she recorded it all. Their weapons, their fusions— monstrosities, oh how her workmates would laugh when they saw —and in the distance, for a second, she even glimpsed Rose Quartz and her pearl.

And then a scream in front of her made her whip round, and she saw the Hessonite's form get broken. Her dark round gem fell into the churning body of the crowd, and without a second thought 4DB threw herself into it. Drowning and writhing, perfect vision oh-so-focused for that flash of scarlet on the ground— and then she had it in her hot, tiny palm, and just as quickly as she'd come she'd squeezed herself out, throwing herself onto the warp and flying off without a second glance back.

When she limped into the commons that evening, her workmates did not give her a glance. She wasn't old, wasn't popular— they had no reason to think she'd seen anything special. And for once, 4DB was happy not to share. She retired to her room, sealing the door and collapsing into her chair, exhausted. Her eyes and ears switched shut for a second, relieving her of the fussful noise outside and the light gleaming from her console. Fingers traced the Gem in her palm— and then she froze. It was a Cabochon. There were no Hessonite Cabochons.

Flicking her senses on, she stared down at the thing in her hand and almost laughed. The pearl. She'd thought it might've been a rock— it would've been more dignified if it had been.

Tossing the pearl to her desk, she activated her console, prepping her mind for a memory transfer. Snipping, editing, mixing and remixing— her concentration was broken by a flash of light beside her. The pearl reformed.

Blinking stupidly at the room, then at her, it observed its surroundings. No doubt it had seen greater quarters than her simple green hollow, but if it held any judgement it did not give it away.

(4DB smirked at her own thoughts. A pearl, judging. One had to be able to hold opinions to do that.)

"Where am I?" It finally asked. Its fingers tugged at the ribbons on its wrists, a subtle, nervous acknowledgement that it was speaking out of turn.

"My room. Prasiolite Quarters 12." She rose. The transfer could wait. "Let's go take you back to your owner."

"No!"

The pearl gasped at its own insolence, immediately clamping a hand over its mouth. Its eyes twitched. 4DB burst into laughter.

A pearl saying no. They were full of surprises.

"Please." It said through its fingers, now, instead.

"Are you giving me an order?"

"No- I-" Its nails were clawing at its face. 4DB was reminded of the tiny brown creatures one of her workmates had spotted in a life-growth zone. "Please- help me-"

She couldn't stop herself now, mirthless howls spilling out of her as loud as a scream. The pearl stared in horror, stared at the door. Its hitched shoulders fell, and it collapsed like a tumbling swathe of fabric. Curled into a ball and sobbed and sobbed until 4DB's shrieks died down.

Some of the other Prasiolites were alerted by her alarm call. The door to her room hummed, a request for entrance; 4DB turned, and in the corner of her eye sensed the pearl crawling under her desk. It wouldn't hide it much. Hardly thinking, she summoned her Gem weapon— a dagger —and stabbed the pearl through the eye. It shuddered, gave her a look of terror, and retracted. Kicking it into the shadows, 4DB rose and answered the door.

"Is everything alright?" 5FA asked. "We heard your alarm. What startled you?"

"I was just reviewing my memories before transfer." She replied. "There was a rebel attack, and I couldn't process everything I'd seen until now. I'm sorry for alerting you."

A junior Prasiolite, 8LK, poked her head up. "Can we see the memory?"

"Confidential. Sorry."

Prasiolites were not made to lie. It went against their very nature. But the words slipped off her tongue like water, and it was only when she'd closed the door that it hit her what she'd done.

And for what?

She retrieved the pearl from under her desk, studying it.

And for _what?_

"Prasiolite 4DB reporting in."

"Ah," the green pearl checked a hologram to its side, then nodded, "from the inspection. You finished ahead of schedule." Its last note rose in a half-question.

"The camp was attacked by rebels. Hessonite gave the order to retreat."

"This is all in memory?"

"As will be seen."

The pearl hummed. Beneath its still, placid smile, a spark of intellect played in its eyes. As the property of such an high-ranking commander as an Emerald, it was required to do more complex tasks than a normal pearl, and that must've rubbed off on it. 4DB wondered how it viewed itself— as important? Powerful? Or just a tool?

(She chased the thought away just as quickly. Wondering about pearls— she must've cracked her gem during the battle.)

"Okay. Ready for transfer."

"Transferring."

She sunk her hands into the cool gelatinous pad on her console. Turning her eyes off, she looked back at the memory, already cleaned and trimmed for broadcast. Pushed it forward in her mind, until she found the electric ends of her fingertips, and the synapse of the computer. Willed it down the line.

Her whole body tingled, and then it was over. Vision back, she blinked in the light, and watched the pearl observe its screens with the slightest satisfaction.

"1:18:37:26. All in full?"

"All in full."

It was not truly all in full, but that was not what was expected of a Prasiolite. A little spit-and-polish, a snip here and an adjustment there: it was not just accepted but required. After all, no higher Gem wanted to waste their time watching dry conversation, long walks, or shaky harried glances at the ground— at one's own hands, curling around a gem in the dirt.

No, it wasn't important.

——

When the pearl reformed again, it seemed shocked to find itself in the same room. It didn't dare speak this time, but shot 4DB a look of question.

"I did some research into your Hessonite." Was all she offered. "She was shattered. Her pieces were recovered by the colony platoon."

The pearl watched her with its dark eyes. Cold, hesitant, and unblinking. It knew what was coming next. Even it knew.

"Of course, by law, this means you'd be disposed of." She toyed with her thumbs, wavering on her next words. "If they thought you were alive."

The pearl still just stared. Pale and silent and so, so hunted— like the primitive creatures she'd seen on projection once, crude soft-hunk bipedals squatting in the mindless-life, watching between cover like any second they could die. But even in this moment, the pearl was not ugly like them. Though its pinched, still face fluttered with turmoil, the way its shoulders rose just slightly spoke hope: a bated breath.

"No one expects to see you again." 4DB steepled her fingers, her voice ahush. "No one is looking. So," she gripped the pearl's shoulders, and shut off her senses. Said without hearing, "you can stay here."

Arms wrapped around her, delicate fingers twining in her hair and hot tears soaking her shoulder. She returned the hold. This, at least, no one else could see.

——

4DB wasn't sure why she'd kept the pearl. Hiding her was so much fuss— and she'd begun to feel a pang of guilt every time she had to break her form, when the pearl would flinch and shudder.

(4DB wasn't sure when she'd started calling it a 'she', either. It was a habit that grew harder and harder to break with each cycle.

At this point, she wasn't even sure she wanted to.)

It was hard not to be entranced by the pearl's beauty; it's what they were made for, entrancing. Every resting moment she got, 4DB loved nothing more than to let the pearl sing for her, or read to her, or dance. The dancing was her favourite. Even in her cramped, tiny chambers, the pearl moved like glass and starlight— in her more silly moments, 4DB imagined living in a big room, imagined what gorgeous choreographies her pearl could make in there.

(When had she become _her_ pearl?)

At any rate, she was insane. Had to be. She was a _Prasiolite,_ for star's fire! There was no hiding her crimes. The second someone grew suspicious, they'd have her plugged in and projecting her own death sentence faster than the Diamonds could shatter her. The fact that she'd dared to look at this pearl, to hear her own voice _commanding her,_ was beyond any logic she'd thought she'd had.

And yet.

Entering her room without a glance at the others, 4DB was almost too eager to pull out the Gem under her table. She gave it a memory through the fingers— something she'd learnt she could do, not quite projecting but still the _feeling_ travelled, Gem to Gem.

(Pearls weren't Gems! She sounded like a rebel!)

Pearl emerged, arcing her back and stretching her arms out. She smiled at 4DB. Feigned, cold, warm, real— she didn't know anymore.

She liked to think the pearl loved her.

"It's nice to see you, pearl."

"It's nice to see you too, my Prasiolite."

4DB had had to hold back laughter the first time she'd said that. It was the first time anyone had ever spoken up to a Gem like her.

"Today was boring." She muttered, stroking pearl's hair. She grinned. "I never needed to use that word before I got you. I never knew how to distinguish 'boring' from 'fun'. Maybe you're a blessing and a curse."

Pearl blinked. "I- apologise."

"You don't have to." She gazed up at her fondly. "Can I watch you dance?"

"Of course."

4DB moved to her chair, and the pearl began to twirl. On pointe, reaching up then shrinking down, hands fluttering and clenching and grasping and pleading, somehow, through twitching fingertips. None of this played out on her face. Since she'd been given sanctuary, her expression had settled into the permanent dull smile all pearls always held. Gone was the desperate anguish.

Suddenly, she flung herself, one arm straight— a battle stance. Spun, flipped and folded upon herself. Mimed sharp strokes, biting, angry: and she'd seen it before. 4DB rose, and pearl stilled, hands rising to protect her face.

"You've seen her too. The renegade."

Pearl shook her head, frantic.

"You have! You moved just like her, that day..." Spinning round, 4DB plunged her hands into the console, playing back her memory of a memory. She heard the pearl gasp.

Wrenching herself free, so suddenly she felt a shock, she turned and advanced to the pearl. Her cheeks felt like they could split for grinning.

"Were you there?"

"No." Pearl squirmed. "My Hessonite had a recording. I- I copied it. I wanted to see her."

A shattering offence. 4DB didn't care.

"She's fascinating, isn't she?"

Pearl stared at her in surprise. 4DB knew that this, too, was a shattering offence: admiring a rebel. Beyond shattering, she'd be ground to dust.

But still it burst out of her, the secret wonder she'd felt all this time at a pearl— a Gem —so far beyond her station. Unprecedented did not describe it. Pearls were not even considered to have true minds, and YET.

And she wondered what more there was she didn't know, didn't see, beyond the veil of rigidity and oneness and sameness that shrouded their whole culture. She wondered, and knew that her pearl held the answer.

"I love her." Pearl finally whispered. Pain twisted her features, her hands. "We all love her. If we knew what she knew, if we could be free like her-"

She stopped herself. 4DB egged her on, an eager nod. Shattering be damned.

"So many of us are hated by our Gems. I've seen pearls cracked and shattered. I've felt-" she swallowed, "hurt. So much. I thought there was nothing beyond this for us. But she gave us hope." She turned to the screen, where a frozen image of the Renegade hung. "A Pearl like us escaped. Belongs to no one."

She sobbed, and hid her face in her hands. 4DB moved to hug her, but the door hummed; panicking, she whipped out her dagger and sliced the pearl in two.

——

4DB could hardly keep focus during her latest assignment. She had been ordered by a Zircon to record affidavits— tens of hours of listening to dull clods moan about a neighbour's noise levels had left her ready to shut her ears off. She trudged out of the courthouse, at long last, and made a beeline for her Quarters.

Her mood brightened as she took the chute to her floor, mind already set on what she'd ask of Pearl today. A melody she'd heard often came back to her (a lullaby, supposedly), and as she rushed through the commons to her room she found herself humming its tune. Some of her workmates gave her strange looks— a great many of them had never heard music before, and must've thought she was malfunctioning.

She fell into her chair, a little giddy, and after transferring her work immediately snatched Pearl's Gem off the floor. The memory she projected now was mixed— the tedium of work, the lullaby, the warmth in her chest at the thought of her. When Pearl reformed, she was already smiling.

"Would you like me to sing that song, my Prasiolite?"

She nodded.

Pearl took a step back, taking a dainty stance in the center of the room. Her gossamer skirt swished against her legs as she slowly turned.

"In the dark, and the light..."

Her voice was angelic. Hushed, quivering, yet steadfast; the song was a hymn to gods Homeworld had long moved past following, but when Pearl sang it it seemed almost to be for herself. A rock to hold onto in turbulence.

"...Keep us sheltered, keep us whole..."

4DB watched her carefully— this would be a memory she'd view a trillion times. She'd saturate it later, catch the glints of light that played against Pearl's skin. But for the moment, she was utterly focused.

"And against all-"

The door hummed— and then opened, and 4DB realised all too late that she hadn't sealed it shut. No time to draw her dagger. She spun around, met the face of her dear friend 4DL.

There was nowhere for Pearl to hide. She stood, lips quavering and hands clasped, now worrying at each other.

"What is this?" 4DL's voice shook with barely withheld laughter. She stepped over the threshold, door drawing shut behind her. "4DB, what in the stars have you done?"

"I can explain." It was a stupid thing to say. She held her palms up, fingers twitching. Her next words were stopped in her throat.

"You cannot possibly! No Prasiolites are permitted to have pearls!"

"Plenty of Quarters keep them illegally! And this one's not even stolen!"

"Not even- Are you hearing yourself?" 4DL took a step back, eyes wide and mouth twisting to keep laughter in. "I must report you."

"Wait, please!"

She faltered. Even in the face of treachery, she didn't truly wish to see her shattered.

4DB wrung her hands, gestured with a tiny flick for her to come closer. "I know I've broken the rules. I know I must be shattered." A tiny hand-sign: a signal meaning _senses off._ Her own world went black and silent.

4DB felt her friend's hand find her own. She traced in her palm with a finger, symbols that spoke.

_Report me. But keep Pearl safe._

4DL's hands moved in hesistant tremors. She wrote back: _Why?_

A thousand thoughts she couldn't quantify in such simple terms.

_She's good._

_You're good. I don't want to report you._

_If you don't, you will be punished. I can't forget. They will see._

_I can Rejuvenate you._

She faltered. The Rejuvenators had been recalled hundreds of years ago, but no one didn't know that they were still floating around on the black market. Acquiring one would be dangerous, especially for a Prasiolite: but it was the only way to destroy one's memories for good.

_Don't risk it for me._

_It will be worth it._

Their hands parted, and after a second 4DB flicked her senses on. 4DL was hovering by the door.

"Be safe." She said, and left.

4DB sealed the entrance with a shaking hand.

"Pearl?"

Pearl was curled up on the floor, rocking gently. Her eyes darted up to meet hers' at the sound of her name: they were fraught with panic.

4DB squatted beside her, whole body trembling with nerves. "Listen to me. You'll be okay."

She took her face in her hands, brushed her cheek with a thumb. Pearl pressed hard against her touch, squeezing her eyes shut and bringing a hand up to cover hers.

"I'm going to lose my memories of you," 4DB continued; she was choking up, "but you won't forget me. You can't stay here, but 4DL will make sure you end up somewhere safe. I trust her, so you can too. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my Prasiolite."

Tears were sliding down Pearl's cheeks. 4DB brushed them away, leant in to wrap her in a hug.

"I'll miss you." It was a lie, but she said it. "You were good to me, Pearl. You made me happy."

Pearl broke into sobs.

"I was happy to serve you."

——

When 4DB came home the next evening, 4DL caught her eye from across the commons. She rose, rushed over with a greeting, and invited herself into her room. When the door sealed shut behind them, she dropped her air, and immediately made the sign of _senses off._ 4DB complied, latching hands with her. Energy pulsed in her throat.

_I know where to find one._

She did not need to clarify. 4DB made a question mark against her hand.

_Don't worry. You won't go. Send the pearl._

_Why?_

_They won't trust our kind. We make memories. The pearl cannot record._

_I understand. What will we trade for the Rejuvenator?_

_Don't worry. I have organised it._

4DB shifted uneasily before her next line.

_Where will Pearl go?_

_To trade?_

_After the trade. After I'm reset._

4DL didn't move for two seconds.

_Don't worry. She will be safe._

——

4DB strode with purpose from the Quarters. She kept her head level, shoulders back, projecting an air of confidence. Some looked at her. She had gained the reputation of being strange, the last few months. Her workmates didn't like how she stayed in her room so much.

'That won't be a problem after today.' She told herself. Her fingers twitched with nerves.

Out on the street, she strolled casually along the main road before, in a quiet junction, ducking into an alley. Rushing along, taking twists and turns, she found a spot where no one would see them. Finally, she pulled Pearl from her Gem compartment, setting her gently on her feet in an alcove.

"You know what to do?" She asked.

Pearl nodded. Her fingers twisted in the ribbons round her wrists, and her eyes flicked fear, but her jaw was set, resolute. 4DB hugged her tight, face pressed to her chest, then retreated. She gave a nod of goodbye.

"I'll never forget you." Said Pearl.

Without a word further, the two parted. 4DB tried to squash the terror in her mind.

'Everything will be okay.' She thought. Over and over. 'Everything will be okay.'

——

That evening she came home to find the Rejuvenator on her desk. It'd been painted black, the activation button shaved down so that it could pass for a simple baton. 4DB took it up, palms sweaty. Some part of her had hoped that 4DL would be there for this moment— but logically, she knew she couldn't be. She couldn't hold memories of resetting a workmate.

She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and activated the machine. It flung out a tiny blade, white-pink and buzzing softly. Most Rejuvenators had been scythes, back in the day, but whoever had cracked this one had obviously made it smaller for easy concealment.

4DB looked back on herself, let every second with Pearl flash through her mind. Relived the joy, and peace, and warmth she'd felt.

Then she plunged the blade into her form, and disappeared.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

...

She sat up. She was in a green room. A console stood against the wall— dully, she realised she knew how to use it. She blinked down at her hands. What else did she know?

She was a Prasiolite. She was a recorder.

Flicking through her mind, she found a perfect reel of the last thirty seconds. Found the tools to modify it. She hummed, experimentally turning her senses on and off.

The door to the room made a sound. Rising, she unlocked it, and was met with another Prasiolite.

"Hey, 4DB." She stepped inside, moving to the door-dash and activating a seal. "My name is 4DL, we're from the same Kindergarten."

She frowned. "Did we just emerge? Where are we?"

"This is Prasiolite Quarters 12. This is your room." 4DL gave her a pained smile. "We emerged approximately 3659 years ago. I'm afraid you developed a glitch, and had to be reset."

Striding lightly across the room, she bent down and drew something under the desk into her Gem. It looked like a rod. Before 4DB could ask, her console made a pinging noise.

"Oh, you have a new assignment. I should leave you then." 4DL patted her on the shoulder, giving her a pleasant look. "Good luck, 4DB. I hope we can be friends."

She felt a warmth in her chest towards her. Gave her a nod. "Yes, I hope so."

4DL left the room, and, alone again, she turned to her screen. She was receiving a call from an Emerald— _her_ Emerald, she knew at once.

"Hello."

"4DB." A lime-coloured pearl took the screen. It smiled at her blankly. "My Emerald would prefer that you answer calls more promptly."

"Oh, sorry." She hitched her shoulders, giving a slight grimace. Something niggled at the back of her mind, something- it felt blocked off, she'd thought something about this-

"My Emerald would like you to witness another platoon inspection on the Earth colony." The pearl tapped at its screens. "It is the same platoon you witnessed two years ago. She would like a succinct recording for comparison with your last one, to see if Hessonite 7JX has improved her platoons' performance at all." She paused, looking up at 4DB. There was a glint of intelligence in her eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Yes. Leaving shortly."

"My Emerald awaits your transfer."

The call ended. 4DB let out the giggles she'd withheld.

Something was wrong with her.

——

She traversed the blank halls, path intersecting with a handful of Citrines— and why was this so familiar? She could count the minutes of her life on one hand, she had _never_ experienced this— and yet she remembered. Nothing in particular, but the _feeling_ came through.

As she puzzled at it, they came to a stop at a door, and a yellow Hessonite emerged, followed closely by her weak-white pearl. The pearl was swallowed by layers of diaphanous golden fabric cascading down from the hems of its leotard; its hair was bound tightly into a rich-blonde knot, and its amber eyes stuck to the floor, dogged and obedient.

(Why was she so interested in the pearl? It was a _pearl,_ for star's fire! Where were these thoughts-

She had had a glitch, right? Could it still be inside her?)

They stepped onto the warp together. 4DB tried to keep her gaze ahead, but she kept turning to the pearl. Its Hessonite seemed to notice.

"Is there a problem, Prasiolite?"

"No, my Hessonite."

The light swallowed them.

Their feet touched ground, and instinctively she got into the rigid stance of a recorder. Marching by the Hessonite, she scanned, left-to-right, until an Agate approached them. She seemed a little weary, and was trailing a whip from her hand, but upon reaching them she stood tall and gave a firm salute. Her weapon dissolve into light on the ground.

"My Hessonite. I'm pleased to report we've made great progress since last inspection." She grinned, a little smug. "I believe it was your firm hand that swayed these unruly Gems into line. Your technique is truly unmatched, my lustrous-"

"Yes, get on with it." The Hessonite scowled. "We're not here for long. Pearl, take notes against the data you saved."

The pearl whispered "Yes, my Hessonite."

They took a whirlwind tour through the camp, stopping at a field to watch the Quartzes spar. They moved with a perfect, uniform brutality; a well-oiled machine.

"I'm impressed." Hessonite said. "When I inherited this lot they were totally worthless. It seems even a bunch of off-colours can be turned around."

"Well said, my Hessonite!" The Agate was trying too hard to stroke her ego. "Of course, they would be nowhere near this good if it weren't for your _brilliant_ suggestion to study against footage of the rebels." She turned to 4DB briefly, a little begrudging. "And the video you captured of that attack was very useful. I must offer my thanks."

4DB did not nod, and kept her mouth shut. She could not ruin the recording.

Finally, as their last stop, they entered an oblong structure, the inside of which was filled with rows of seats.

"This is where we review footage, battle strategy diagrams..." The Agate waved her hand, trailing off. "Particularly, we've been focusing on the renegade pearl as of late. No one can get through it to Rose Quartz, so it's become a priority to take it down." She marched to a console, activating a roof-mounted projector to cast an image on the wall. 4DB stared.

On-screen was a profile document about the pearl, accompanied by video clips. It was entrancing, the way it danced across fields and expertly cleaved Gems a dozen times its size-

(And there was that feeling again, something reaching from a box.)

"Look away, pearl." Said the Hessonite.

Her pearl meekly obeyed.

"I know this thing doesn't look like much," the Agate said, "but it's highly skilled. As you can see, its relative speed and dexterity give it an advantage-"

4DB tuned out. This part of the tour would end up cut, she knew. Emerald would not be interested in things she doubtless already knew.

She took a second to probe her own thoughts. A Prasiolite's mind was very organised; anything one needed to find would be tucked away in its file, sorted chronologically, and automatically one would find themself editing before they replayed the footage in their mind. Normally it would not take long for a Gem as fresh as her to view her whole life, start to end— but she was focused now on the edges, the starting point that was not quite so clean as she'd suspected. So many things in the past hour or so had triggered déjà vu, and that simply wasn't something that _happened_ for Prasiolites. If they remembered something, they remembered it: there was no vagueness about what they were recalling.

And yet.

She saw the Agate switch the projector off, knew she didn't have much more time. Desperately, she delved in her head— there was something there, older files-

"If that will be all."

"Oh, yes, that's everything. Thank you for your presence, my Hessonite."

"Hm."

The Hessonite turned to her. "You can stop recording."

She nodded, and they left for the warps.

——

4DB entered the commons of their Quarters, deep in thought. She hardly glanced at her workmates, though she felt their stares on her form. She must've been acting untoward.

"How was your assignment, friend?"

It was 4DL, smiling. She grinned back; it felt strained.

"It went well. I'm hoping to get the transfer done quickly. I need to think."

"About what?" There was a hard edge to her voice, buried in nonchalance.

"Nothing."

"Then can I join you?"

She faltered, and 4DL seemed to take it as a yes. Grabbing her arm, she pulled her to her room.

4DB sat down, hastily editing. She was aware of 4DL hovering over her shoulder. Finally, she punched through on the console and called her Emerald.

"Prasiolite 4DB reporting in."

4DL stepped into a hidden corner.

"Ah, from the recent inspection?" The pearl was- not so blank, she realised. She had wit. She was managing everything. "Ready for transfer."

"Transferring."

She pushed down the déjà vu, kept her face still and inconspicious. 4DL didn't trust her— or rather, seemed to know something.

"2:47:32:81. All in full?"

"All in full."

She ended the call. 4DL stepped out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you join us in the commons, friend? 6FF is going to share a wonderful memory with us. She was invited to record a concerto."

"Sorry. I'm really tired."

Bits and pieces were coming back to her. Feel of fingers making shapes— it'd meant something, right?

One symbol she recalled. She took 4DL's hand, tracing it out on her palm.

4DL stiffened. "You remember that?"

"I don't know what it means."

She dropped her shoulders the slightest bit. "It doesn't matter. You shouldn't make that sign again."

"But what _is_ it?"

"It's- It's rude."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

She quickly left the room after that. 4DB was left sitting in her chair, staring down at her palms. She traced the sign on herself.

_It wasn't rude._

She knew it wasn't. She traced it again and again, growing more and more frustrated and rough. It was on the tip of her tongue, but the _meaning-_

Her mind offered an image: the Hessonite's pearl, glancing at her on the warp pad.

But it wasn't the Hessonite she'd seen that day. And it wasn't her pearl.

——

There was one place she knew she could find information. It wasn't from 4DL– stars knew that Gem was keeping things from her —and it wasn't from the other Prasiolites. No, it was the one place all data went: the knowledge banks.

She'd taken a chute across the city, and felt dizzy when she emerged. The buildings were so much taller here; they were built for the upper classes, who deserved much more space for themselves. A Prasiolite, thankfully, could blend in fairly well. Even though none of her kind lived in the city centre, it wasn't unusual for them to visit sometimes, borrowed by a Jade or Lapis or other such Gem who felt the need to record their daily life. 4DB slipped between the taller bodies, and soon reached the tall, golden spire that housed the Pyrites.

Inside, again, she found that sense of familiarity— though this, she could at least presume, was a location whose data was baked into her at growth. Padding her way across the marbled tiles, she reached the front desk, having to stand on tiptoes to see over it.

The Pyrite sitting there— 5DA, read her nametag —looked up boredly from her holoscreen.

"Can I help you?"

"I need to access a record I made two years ago." She said. "Prasiolite 4DB. Routine inspection of a Quartz platoon on Earth."

"Did you submit it here?"

"I..." She faltered, but thankfully the memory came to her. "No. I sent it to my Emerald, and I believe she transferred it here."

"Alright." 5DA heaved herself to her feet, dismissing her screen. "Let's go have a look. What day was this record made?"

They passed into a back room, where a small cluster of Pyrites were guarding huge, silver machines. 5DA activated the console on one, punching in the info 4DB had provided her. She scrolled for a moment, then pulled a file up.

"This looks like it." She walked back. "When you're done watching, let one of the others know so they can shut the Store down. And I'm sure you know how to work the transfer?"

"Yes."

"Cool. I'll leave you to it."

She walked out. 4DB waited til the door closed to press play on the video.

It felt strange at first, knowing that this was something she'd seen but couldn't remember. The more she watched, though, the more it was coming back— not just that day, but everything.

The pearl. When the pearl spoke, and past-her looked over, it all came flooding back. She gasped, hitting pause, and shut her senses off to look over the torrent that'd swept her.

The pearl. _Her_ Pearl. They'd lived together, until 4DL found her- And then she'd _agreed_ to wipe herself, made the plan and carried it out- but it hadn't worked, and that meant-

That meant if anyone grew suspicious, all the evidence against her was back. All that effort had been for nothing. And Pearl-

Her blood ran cold. She had no idea where Pearl was.

——

When she got back to the Quarters, the first thing she did was seek out 4DL.

"We need to talk." She whispered frantically, after dragging her to her room.

4DL's eyes darted nervously. "What's the matter?"

"I got my memories back. I dug into things too much, I didn't know I shouldn't have-"

"Oh! It's okay." She smiled, made the gesture _senses off._

Their hands met. 4DL traced: _I won't report you. You will be safe._

4DB shook her head, then realised it was futile. She wrote a _no_ on her palm, then continued: _I want to know where Pearl is._

_It is safe._

_But I want to know where._

She dug her nail in hard on the 'where', emphasising.

4DL's fingers fluttered against hers. It took her a while.

_Be calm, friend._

_I am calm._

_Be calm in future._ A pause, a tactile ellipses. _I traded it for the Rejuvenator._

_WHAT!?_

In a split-second she'd switched her eyes on, knocked her down with a slap and pressed her to the floor. Hard as she could, she traced into her flesh: _TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR._

4DL stretched her mouth. Vibrations through her form, and she realised far too late— she was laughing. Flicking her ears on; it was louder and more desperate than any cry she'd ever heard, an awful, broken screech. In seconds the door was open, and the other Prasiolites swarmed in. She was tugged upright, held still by a wall of arms.

2AG stepped through the crowd, and helped 4DL to her feet. She looked up, fixing 4DB with a solemn stare.

"What caused this fight?"

"She attacked me!" 4DL blurted out. "She was angry, I knew she broke the rules and I wanted to report her, but she threatened me and I kept quiet but I cannot hide her crimes any longer!"

"4DL!" 4DB exclaimed in shock.

"Don't deny it! It is in memory!"

The other Gems began to mutter, but were stilled when 2AG raised a hand.

"Get a guard." She said to a junior. Then she turned to 4DB. "What crime did you commit?"

4DB glanced desperately around the room. Caught the contemptuous glare of her workmates, and hung her head. "I kept a Pearl."

"A pearl!"

Once again the room descended into uproar. This time nothing could hush them.

"Her owner was shattered! She would've been too, I just-"

"It is theft from the state!" She had never seen 2AG so furious. "And to threaten and harm another Gem over- over property-"

"Pearl was more than that!"

"You must be cracked!"

Loud stomps rung out in the distance. Two Chrysoprases appeared at the door, and the mass of hands pushed her into them. As she was carried away, she locked eyes with 4DL and on a whim cried out "4DL has a Rejuvenator. She Rejuvenated me!"

Another surge of shouting. 4DL blanched, stumbling back, and was scooped up by a Chrysoprase. 2AG looked between them and just shook her head.

"A shame to lose good Gems like this. I hope for both your sakes you can prove yourselves innocent."

The door sealed shut behind them, the furious debate of their workmates still ringing through the walls.

——

The Chrysoprase carrying her had explained she'd go into holding, where she'd meet her assigned Zircon to prepare her defence before trial. 4DB knew she wouldn't make it that far. They'd take her to Evidence first, and the second they saw her memories they'd be declaring her guilty. That was how it worked for Prasiolites.

Marching into the precinct, a bored Tangerine Quartz waved them through from the front desk to a back room. They passed through a large storage section— lost property, she guessed. A dusty Pearl wedged between two shelves glanced at them as they passed.

"Here we are."

They entered a small capsule, just a console and two chairs. The Chrysoprase shackled her down, locking her hands in the gel. Sitting opposite her, she booted up the holoscreen and began scrolling through her memories.

"Week ago, two weeks— ah, you Rejuvenated yourself. Nice try."

Her eyes were totally focused on the screen.

"Well, here's the tail-end of what we'll be collecting... Oh, this goes way back. We'll be here a while." She gave her a toothy grin. "Hope you're comfy."

Her wrists were already beginning to hurt.

As the Chrysoprase worked, 4DB's mind whirred desperately, trying to find a way out of her predicament. She would've been happy to accept her punishment— if Pearl was okay. But stars only knew the horrors a black-market Pearl could face. She had to find her, get her somewhere safe. Then, if she had to, she'd happily shatter.

Flexing her fingers in the gel, a thought suddenly came to her: she could transfer. Not memories, the console wasn't open to that— but feelings required no console. Gathering every awful thing she'd ever felt, she pushed it through her: through her arms, past her fingers, and it poured out in a burning wave. The console began to crackle.

"Huh? Stupid thing's glitching." The Chrysoprase banged its surface.

More feelings. She took the good now, and there was a lot of it. Two brief years of memories with her Pearl. Every song and every dance, and the warmth she'd felt— The warmth transferred over. She felt the goo begin to bubble around her palms, liquefying. Smoke poured from the machine, and the screen shut off.

"What in the-"

Before Chrysoprase could finish her sentence, 4DB wrenched her hands free from the now-defunct shackles. She leapt to her feet and burst through the door, disappearing into the shelves with the Chrysoprase hot on her heels. 4DB shrunk, crawled up behind a box and waited, unbreathing.

The Chrysoprase ran right past her. Another couple hours, and she gave up on searching alone, retreating through a hall for backup. Silently, 4DB slipped from her hiding spot, landing and creeping for a window.

She felt eyes on her.

Twisting round, she found her watcher: another Pearl. Half crushed behind some bags, utterly grimy— she shivered. How many of them were just laying around here?

Casting a glance for the door, she crept up, put her face close to the Pearl's and whispered "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for my owner." She replied. Her stare was totally lifeless, corners of her mouth twitching.

4DB looked around. There were dozens of others stuck here— not just Pearls, but Objects too: combs, mirrors, instruments...

"Why don't you leave?"

"I was told to wait."

"Don't you want to go?"

"My opinion doesn't matter."

Her mouth twisted. At the distant sound of running, she backed away, feeling for the window. Regret was already panging through her.

"Don't tell anyone you saw me." She whispered.

"Don't worry. No one talks to us."

With a last glance back at the Gems, she hoisted herself up the wall, pushing the window open a crack and swinging through. Seconds later, she heard the guards rush in.


	2. Ch2

There was only one place she could think of that a bunch of criminals would be hiding at: the ruins. Built underneath the new cities, they were the husks; ancient kindergartens, abandoned buildings, and transport infrastructure that they'd moved well past technologically. 4DB skipped around rubble, eyes and ears keen.

She flinched when an arrow shot past her.

"Get out of here, recorder!" Someone yelled. A Jasper, if she had to guess from the voice.

"I'm not here to film." She called back. "I'm a criminal like you!"

Booming laughter. (She had to remind herself it wasn't an alarm for other kinds.) A rock flew past her neck.

"Sure, clod! Take your form back to your Quarters before we shatter you!"

That nasally screech was a Peridot. She wondered what a technician like her was doing down here— modifying Rejuvenators, maybe? A little hope flickered in her chest. Despite the danger she advanced towards the voice, eyes shut and arms raised.

"Please, I need help. I'll turn off my senses for as long as you want. You can even dissipate me. I just need to find someone that came down here."

Silence. She heard light, quick strides come towards her. Two hands grabbed her wrists and held them behind her back.

"Who are you looking for?" The Peridot asked. Her nose brushed the crown of her head.

"A red Pearl. She was traded for a Rejuvenator 37 days ago."

 _"'She'?"_ The Peridot burst into laughter. "You really are some kind of defective. What do you want a stupid pearl for, anyway? Someone _stole it from you?"_

"I just what to know where s- _it_ is." 4DB squirmed. "Can you let go of me?"

"No." She twisted her arms a little harder. "Anyway, I don't trade in Rejuvenators, but I know a guy. You do understand that if you come with us we'll be resetting you later, though, right?"

"That's fine."

The Peridot chuckled. "I like you."

They'd told her to turn her senses off and keep her eyes shut. Dragged by the wrists, 4DB walked for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, they shoved her to a seat, binding her hands behind her back with hot, buzzing wire. A pinch on her shoulder told her she could listen in now.

"So you're looking for a pearl?" The voice, to her surprise, was an Agate's. "Pink skin, red clothes, pearl on its chest?"

Her heart soared. "Yes, that's her! Where is she?"

"I sold it."

An exhale; 4DB felt smoke on her face. Cold dread ran through her form.

"To who?"

"What are you, a Quartz? You trying to crack our chain?" She chuckled lowly, and some others in the room joined in. "You want to get it back, you can trade through me. I don't throw around names."

4DB slumped, dejected. Then an idea came to her.

"Can I trade you data?"

Agate shifted, and her chair creaked.

"What kind of data?"

"All kinds! Military reports, court records, the private affairs of upper-class Gems..."

"And what's stopping us from plugging you into a console and taking that all for free?"

She faltered. The Agate sighed.

"Look, I'll get one thing straight with you now, recorder. The Gems we traded with wanted a pearl. Nothing else. If you want your pearl back, the only thing they'll take for it is a nicer model." She paused, breathed in then blew smoke. "Or you can just wait 'til they shatter it and go retrieve it from whatever dumpster they leave it in."

Some sniggers came from the corner. 4DB tucked her chin, thinking frantically. There were Pearls in lost property— some of them must've been there for decades, no one would miss them if-

But could she do that to them?

She shook her head to herself. No, she couldn't.

"Do you... have a Pearl I could trade for?" Even as she said it, she knew she wouldn't be able to give her away either.

"I'm not a pearl dealer." Agate's voice was growing increasingly sharp. "Are we done here? I have things to do."

"No, we're done! If you just tell me where I can find the Pearl's owners-"

"I already said I wouldn't do that!" She yelled. "You really are a cop, aren't you?"

"No!"

"Then you're a spy for one!" She stood abruptly, heels clicking hard against the ground. "Jasper, shatter her."

"Right."

Footsteps came towards her and she flinched, turning her eyes on and struggling desperately against her restraints. She tried to shapeshift, and a painful shock zapped through her.

"Wait!" The Peridot rushed forward from a corner, stopping the Jasper with two palms to her chest. She glanced at the Agate. "Crazy Lace, think this through. If she actually is an informant, killing her will only get platoons sent after us!"

Crazy Lace had been at the door, but now turned. "Well, what do you want me to do? Reset her?"

"We could."

She gave a bark of laughter. "You know as well as I do that those things don't actually work. Even if she doesn't restore, they'll just melt her down to get the data off her."

"But what if she's telling the truth?" Peridot shuffled forwards, hands clasped together. "Just give me a bit with her. I'll check her memories and then we'll know for sure what's going on. We can grab whatever data we want, and if she _is_ a spy, then we'll shatter her. Okay?"

The room was still for a moment as Crazy Lace thought. Finally, she shrugged, masking her scowl with another cloud of smoke from her vaporiser.

"You get five minutes."

The Jasper sighed, cracking her knuckles and lobbing a punch at Peridot's shoulder.

"You always ruin the fun, Twitch."

"Better safe than sorry." Twitch muttered.

The others left the room. Twitch untied 4DB and dragged her over to an old, scrap-patched console in the corner. For several seconds she attempted to secure her with the shackles— her fingers spasmed on the fiddly straps, dropping and tugging them like they had a life of their own. Finally, she gave up, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation.

"I'll just leave my hands here." Said 4DB, trying to be helpful.

"Yeah. Great. Do that."

Sitting across from her, Twitch booted up the screen and began manipulating the controls. Thousands of years worth of files scrolled past her; she stared at them wearily, and gave a sigh.

"I should've just let them shatter you. We'll be here all century."

"I can help." 4DB piped up. "If you put it in transfer mode, I can do the searching."

Twitch glanced at her quizzically. She sweated.

"I'll even trim the clips for you?"

" _Why_ are you being so helpful?"

She blinked in surprise, thought it over for a second, then just shrugged.

"You saved me. Why shouldn't I be?"

Twitch stared at her for a moment longer, eyebrows raised. Then she sneered, turning back to the screen.

"Right. I forgot your type were built to be suck-ups."

(4DB tried to brush off the comment. But some part of her couldn't hold back a frown.)

Searching through her mind, she quickly compiled a reel of her arrest, interrogation and escape. She left out the clips of the lost-property Pearls— it was probably better no black market dealers knew about them.

"This should be good to start. Anything else you want?"

Twitch skimmed through the film, sharp focus replacing her previous boredom. "I don't know, whatever's useful. Just compile everything you think is top-secret and I'll check it later."

"Okay."

She steeled herself against her morals; it was necessary, she told herself, to help Twitch out. She'd saved her life, after all, even if it _was_ for a selfish reason. Yet still, she felt some emptiness at working against the people who'd trusted her in the past.

A couple centuries back now, she paused on one week— when a Jade that'd grown overly attached to her had dragged her along to film her holiday. The assignment had ended rather abruptly when the Jade's girlfriend started an argument with her, and got so enraged that she drew her sword and cracked a chip off her gem. It would've been a shattering offence— if anyone had ever found out.

She hesitated, letting the fight play out on loop. That Jade and Emerald were still together, she knew. Maybe they'd even grown past this ancient fight, grown to be happy together.

Or maybe not.

She transferred it to Twitch. Let the criminals make of it what they will.

"She's legit. You've seen the video, let's just let her go."

Twitch was having a hissed conversation with the others; her hands quivered as she gestured emphatically, raised on her toes to be level with their chins. Crazy Lace stood listening with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised and mouth pulled into a sneer. The Jasper was looking right at 4DB. She'd drawn a hammer from her Gem some time ago.

"She can't even go to the police. They'll just shatter her!"

"You raise a fair point. But consider the following: Jasper wants to kill her."

Jasper smirked. Twitch groaned and slapped a hand to her face.

"Am I really the only one thinking with my logic sector?"

As they talked, 4DB scanned the room— she figured she wasn't making it out of this alive. As much as Twitch was in her corner, she didn't seem to have much bargaining power against her friends.

There were no windows, and the others were standing in the only doorway. Nothing else was in the room besides the console and the chair they'd tied her to. Desperately, she calculated her odds of beating them all in a fight. Past records would suggest slim to none.

"Okay, how about this." Twitch began pacing. 4DB quickly stilled herself. "I'll go out, and I'll get you some other Gem to shatter. Some homeless half-dead cripple or something. And in exchange we let the Prasiolite go."

"Why do you even care about her?" Jasper grunted.

Twitch spluttered. Rounding on her, she raised her hands in shaking fists.

"Because we _agreed_ not to kill her if she wasn't dangerous! It's called having a sense of honour!"

"But killing a cripple's fine?"

She fell back on her heels, lowered her arms, and muttered "They're on the way out anyway. It's mercy."

Crazy Lace cut a hand between the two, stopping their fight. They turned to her, instantly going meek at the stern look on her face.

"We've wasted enough time on this Gem. Just do what Twitch says." She huffed.

Jasper growled— Twitch gave her a smug grin. Waltzing across the room, she grabbed 4DB by the arm and dragged her past the others.

"Senses off, clod. We're leaving the building."

——

When she opened her eyes again, they were in an alleyway. Twitch stood ahead, glancing carefully around a corner, before turning and padding back to her.

"No one's around. Should be fine for you to walk out there." She glanced at her disdainfully. "Just for the record, though, a Gem of your type should really disguise herself as something else down here."

4DB nodded, shapeshifting into a Peridot. "Like this?"

She grimaced. "Change your hair at least. I don't want people mixing us up and thinking I'm some kind of moron."

Slightly irked, she morphed her hair from a flame-like shape to a cube.

"Sorry."

"Oh don't get offended." Twitch rolled her eyes. "I'm not the clod who walked around in broad daylight in a crime-zone, thinking no one would get mad that she was a recorder."

She pulled a face, but dropped her shoulder in resignation. She had to give her that.

"Well, thank you for saving my life." She swung her arms, unused to the extra mass. Sliding past Twitch, she began to leave. "I should-"

"Wait."

She stopped. Twitch had grabbed her wrist, but dropped it hastily when their eyes met. She looked down, kicking a pebble.

"Your pearl's with the East Street Gang. In the old Civics Planning Centre. Big yellow cuboid. You can't miss it." She backed up a few steps, hands in her pockets. "You didn't hear it from me."

4DB stared at her in surprise. "Oh. Thank you."

"Data for data. It's only fair." She shrugged, raised a hand in farewell, then jogged off down the alley.

4DB smiled at her retreating form. Then, tensing herself to stay shifted, she strode out onto the main road, humming to herself in the silence.

A troop of Rubies were standing on the steps of the Civics Planning Centre, weapons drawn but otherwise relaxed. They must've been first gen models— they were taller than any Rubies 4DB had ever seen before.

"Halt, Peridot!" One of them called as she approached the building. She raised her spear, eyes narrowed. "I haven't seen your face before."

"Oh." 4DB fidgeted with her new, larger fingers. Her voice cracked trying to mimic a Peridot's pitch. "Well, I haven't been here before." Glancing at the ground, she tried to recall how a Peridot would act. Then she crossed her arms, shooting the Ruby an equally suspicious look. "There a problem with that, clod?"

The Ruby gritted her teeth. "There _wasn't_ a problem, until you called me a clod, you slag!"

"Hey, hey, 3CI, calm down!" Another Ruby called out, putting a hand on her workmate's arm. She turned to 4DB. "Look, we're not trying to start trouble. Just a security thing. You know how it is 'round here."

"Oh, yeah." She replied. She kicked the dirt. "Yeah. Well, I wouldn't normally come around these parts, but my friend said you guys got a new Pearl, and I wanted to check it out."

The Rubies glanced at each other, muttering. 4DB swallowed, wondering if she'd gone too elaborate with her story. Finally, the huddle parted, and a burnt-orange Ruby descended the steps.

"You can come on through. We'll need you to wear one of these, though." She held up a glowing bracelet. "So you can't use any Gem abilities. Just procedure."

Though the outside of the building was as austere as it'd always been, the inside was a different story. Past a small corridor, it seemed like the whole inner cavity had been hollowed out into one big room. Its walls were painted black, lined with strips of glowing neon, and the floor was filled with lounge chairs and squat tables. Countless different Gems— Peridots, Bismuths, Rubies, even a few Quartzes —were scattered here and there, chatting at tables, sharing vaporisers, or watching the Natrolite on stage perform. In the back corner was a stairwell, with both the stairs up and down guarded by tense-looking Obsidians. A Ruby led 4DB right towards them, cutting through the centre of the floor.

"This guy wants to see the pearl room." She called to them, jerking a thumb over her shoulder to indicate her.

"Pearl room's not open." A Mahogany Obsidian replied.

"What? Why?"

"You didn't get the memo? Some of them escaped. Whole room's sealed 'til the boss gets 'em back."

4DB's heart thudded in her chest.

"Well, you're fresh out of luck, Peridot." The Ruby said, guiding her back to the door.

"Hang on! Which Pearls escaped?" She called out, maybe too frantic. She tore herself from Ruby's grip, eyes locked with the Obsidian's.

Mahogany shrugged. "I dunno. I don't go down there." She grimaced, shivering involuntarily. "Gives me the creeps. Don't know how anyone can be into that stuff."

"What stuff?"

"You mean you don't know?" Ruby burst out laughing. "And you wanted to go down _there?_ Oh man, I would've loved to see your face."

A black Obsidian leant in; she must've been eavesdropping. "Gems can do whatever they want with the pearls down there— for the right price, at least. You can just use their normal services, make them do more intimate things, or... smack 'em around. The last one's what people usually do." She grinned. "We like to call it the Death Pit. On account of all the death."

4DB's eyes widened, stomach dropping to the pit of her form. She stumbled back in alarm. What had she gotten herself into..?

"Wanna go get some air?" The Ruby teased.

She nodded, and ran to the door without waiting for guidance.

——

There was no way in the universe she could make herself go back there. Even hours later, crouched inside an abandoned rail-cart underground with the stars long set, she couldn't shake the dirty, sick feeling that room had given her. 4DB shivered, clutching her knees to her chest. All she could do was hope that her Pearl was one of the ones who escaped.

Something rattled outside. Weakly, she pulled herself up high enough to peek out the window. Every cell in her ached from the form she'd held so long; if someone was coming to kill her, she'd have no chance of fighting back.

Nothing outside. She sighed, relaxing in her seat. All too soon, though— the carriage suddenly rocked, tilting sharply before falling back on its wheels. 4DB laughed, then remembered she wasn't in Quarters anymore, and screamed instead. In response, manic giggles echoed out outside the cart.

"Are you playing hide-and-seek?"

She blinked, and all of a sudden someone had their face pressed to the window. She fell off her chair with a shriek.

"Well, I found you! What do I win?"

A brick flew through the window, sending shards of glass spraying everywhere. Something white slid through the new hole, stretching into a humanoid form that loomed over her— a Spinel.

"What do you _want?"_ 4DB yelled. "I've had a hard day, can't you attack someone else?"

Spinel laughed, loud and frightening. Even her bared gums were grey.

"Had a hard day?? Join the _club,_ recorder! Isn't life just cra-a-a-zy!?"

4DB began crawling backwards, only to be wrenched off the floor by Spinel's stretched fingers.

"One minute you're waltzing down the high-road, _snooping where you don't belong,"_ her voice dropped its cutesy tone, "and the next minute you're on the rendezvous with the property you stole!"

"What?"

"You heard me, Prasiolite! You took the pearls, didn't ya!?" She slammed her against the floor, eyes widening with psychotic rage. "Bet you thought you were _sooo smart,_ coming in with your little disguise to head straight to the pearl room and _rob us again!"_

"I didn't rob you!" 4DB cried out, panicked. "I don't even know who you are!"

Spinel's arms wrapped around her like a cocoon, closing tight around her throat so she couldn't speak.

"Save it for the judge, slag! Our Selenite saw right through your little plan!" When 4DB only stared at her in confusion, she scowled, crushing her tighter. "Don't try to tell me it's a _co-ink-idink_ that your brain's packed full of memories of that runaway Pearl!"

Despite her dire situation, hope swelled in her chest.

"Oh," Spinel chuckled, "thanks for leading us right to 'em, by the way."

Kicking the door down, she slithered out onto the platform, carrying 4DB high in the air. From that vantage point, she could see a gang of Rubies crowded round another rail-cart— and the Pearls they'd found and handcuffed. She wanted to scream.

"Now we'll be taking you back for interrogation." Spinel sing-songed. "Don't try to hide anything, because we won't fall for your garbage."

Her legs stretched metres, and in a step she was out of the station. Another, and they were halfway down the street. 4DB stared back at where they'd left— she was sure she'd seen a glimpse, for just a second, of her Pearl's white hair.

——

Spinel twined her way around the height of the Civics Planning Centre, stretching through a top-floor window and sliding the frame shut behind them with one foot. Her huge, hunched form filled the room, upper torso craned parallel with the roof. 4DB hung, facing the floor; she strained her neck to stare into the face of her captor.

"State your name for the record." Spinel drawled.

4DB opened her mouth, but could only wheeze. She squirmed in frustration, flicking her eyes from Spinel to the arms twisted around her neck.

"Oh? Ohohoho." Spinel tilted her head, sickly sweet grin splitting her face in two. "Am I _sqweezing yew tew hawd?"_ She crushed her tighter, making her squeak with pain. "Oopsie-doopsie. Lemme make it better."

Hard as she could, she threw her to the floor— dirty grey tiles cracked around her from the impact. 4DB tried to push herself up, but was squashed underfoot.

"Wanna answer my question now, recorder?" Spinel spat. She'd shrunken down to an average height— for a Jasper, maybe. Something had to have screwed up in her development, because rather than being small, round and cute like Spinels were meant to be, she was horrific: unnatural in her dimensions, limbs and torso stretched like pulled chewing gum. Her hair was styles in three little pigtails, and she wore a frilly white skirt over puffy, pin-striped knickerbockers— it was all so unfitting. 4DB felt she'd look more natural clothed in the shards of her enemies.

"I'm Prasiolite 4DB." She said. Her chest felt compressed, and her voice, too, came out crushed. "I've never been here before today, I swear-"

A door opened somewhere behind them. Spinel retracted her foot, stepping aside and bowing her head slightly, hands clasped together.

"She's all yours, Bossa Nova. I did a little tenderisin' for ya."

"I can see that."

4DB lifted her head off the floor— to her surprise, she was met face-to-face with a White Zircon. She cackled.

Spinel spun, looking honestly insulted. "Something funny-"

The Zircon raised a hand. "Leave her. Prasiolites do this. Some bug in their make-up that no one ever bothered weeding out." With a dismissive flick, she turned from Spinel. "You can go now. Thank you for the help."

"Aw, shucks, Boss." Spinel gave her a cheesy grin and a salute, before skipping out of the room.

That left just the two of them.

Tentatively, 4DB raised herself to her knees. She felt woozy, cells vibrating in a threat to fall apart. The Zircon stepped across the floor, stopping to kneel in front of her. She stared at her dispassionately, adjusting her monocle.

"Spinel did a number on you, huh?"

Instinctively, she raised a hand to her forehead— and found a hairline crack in her Gem. Tiny, almost imperceptible. She curled her fist shut, shaking.

"I really didn't do anything. I don't know what's going on, what happened to the-"

Zircon places a finger to her lips. "Quiet."

Eyes wide, she complied. Zircon rose, in one swift motion, and began pacing tight circles in front of her. She summoned a holoscreen, flicking through some report distractedly.

"I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, recorder, and that is not something I grant lightly. There's quite a bit of evidence pointing against you, but more yet that..." She paused, frowning at her screen. Shook her head dismissively. Then she turned to 4DB. "When you walked into our lounge this morning, you revealed more that you might realise. I know, for instance, that one of the pearls in our possession once belonged to you. That you were planning to steal it from us, until your plans were thwarted." She steepled her fingers, solemn face betraying a note of doubt. "I also know that you had no idea of the nature of our pearl business, or of the escape that happened some number of days ago. I know you weren't even in this zone at the time."

"How-"

"Of course, I didn't tell all of this to my employees." Zircon continued, ignoring her interruption. "It wasn't necessary. I was sure if you weren't guilty, you were at least an accessory to someone else's plan. A spy for some police unit, perhaps. But now that you're here, and Selenite has probed your mind further," (4DB clutched her head protectively) "well, it seems there might be more to this. And while I take no displeasure in occasionally shattering the wrong Gem, I do believe in an honest pursuit of the truth, where possible."

With no further words, she turned to face the door. 4DB stared at her, confused, and was just about to ask what was happening, when someone else walked in.

She was like no Gem she'd ever seen before. Impressively tall, hauntingly pale— her long face was drawn into a look of serene resignation, only tar on her smooth skin being the bags under her eyes. Her hair was twisted into a tight, multilayered bun resembling some sort of flower. Sheathed in loose, creaseless robes from neck to ground, she stood perfectly straight, arms folded together and themselves swallowed in long swathes of fabric. She seemed to glide across the ground, pale eyes regarding 4DB blankly.

 _Hello,_ a voice in her head rung out, _I am Selenite._

4DB howled with laughter, crawling backwards across the floor with one hand cupped to her Gem. Selenite did not react, but Zircon sighed.

"Stay calm, and we'll be through with this sooner."

Slowly, 4DB stilled her breathing, dropping her shoulders and her hand. Selenite did not move from her spot, instead regarding her from a distance.

_Zircon will ask you a few questions. Answer honestly, or lie— whichever you choose, I will know the truth. This will not hurt, so be calm. Do not try to shield yourself. It will not work._

"How are you doing that?" She whimpered.

_I could not tell you._

"Are we ready to begin?" Zircon said to the air.

Selenite responded with a nod.

"Alright then."

She summoned her holoscreen again, and stood at attention, heels snapped together and arms folded in a way that was so painfully normal for a Zircon— it could've been any courthouse assignment.

4DB wished it was.

"To begin, please explain the sequence of events that led you to enter this establishment." She glanced up from her screen sternly. "And remember that there's no point in lying."

4DB looked from her to the Selenite and back again, biting her lip nervously. She didn't want to get Twitch in trouble, but it appeared she'd have no choice. They'd get it all out of her one way or another— and stars only knew what might happen to her if she lied. Folding her hands in her lap, she stared down, and with a great deal of shame recounted everything, from the moment she first saw Pearl to her abduction by Spinel. The whole time, both her listeners just watched, unimpressed and unfazed.

"Is that all?" Zircon asked, when she finally finished. 4DB glanced up, and found she'd been directing her question to Selenite.

Selenite did not respond out loud, but whatever message she'd sent must've been satisfactory, because Zircon dismissed her screen, face visibly relaxing.

"You're being very cooperative." Her voice held a note of surprise, just barely peeking through past her orator's tone. "I suppose I won't have to ask my next question, since you already explained..."

She furrowed her brow, cupping a hand over her mouth. 4DB was struck by how well-programmed she was; even while running a criminal empire, breaking every law she'd sworn to uphold, she'd held onto every little mannerism she was built with. It made the whole situation even more surreal.

"To wrap this up, then: what will you do if I release you unharmed?"

A lump caught in her throat— she knew. Thought it all in a second: she'd come back, try to save Pearl again. Keep trying a thousand times, until she succeeded or shattered. It was her fault she was in this den of torture; to leave her behind would be cruel beyond cruelty.

"I-"

Zircon held up a hand, stopping her.

"No need to answer. I've heard." She was scowling. "Unfortunate that we can't trust you."

4DB blanched, eyes darting to Selenite. "Wait, no! I wasn't serious, it was just a wild idea-"

"That's enough out of you!" Zircon snapped. "I was very generous to you, recorder, and if you think you can take advantage of my good nature, then you are sorely mistaken!"

Rushing footsteps thundered out from the halls; Zircon and Selenite turned to watch the door, expectant. A second later, two Obsidians marched in. One was carrying a power-dampening bracelet.

"Need us to shatter this clod, Boss?"

"No, Snowflake, we're not needlessly cruel." She waved a dismissive hand, adjusting her monocle. "Take her down to Biotite. She'll know what to do."

Snowflake laughed harshly, grabbing 4DB in one huge hand and jamming the bracelet on her wrist with the other.

"'Not needlessly cruel'." She slung her over her shoulder like a sack of concrete. "And then 'Biotite' in the next breath."

"She's just doing her job." Said Zircon irritably. Then, turning to the other Obsidian, "Zebra, form a search party and bring in Crazy Lace's Peridot contact. The defective one. I'll be in my office until you return."

4DB's chest went cold with despair.

 _Do not worry._ Selenite told her, as she was carried off down the hall. _She will be okay. I make sure no Gem suffers here._

'Except the Pearls.' She thought.

Selenite did not respond.

——

"Oh, what do we have here? More parts?"

"This one's alive," Snowflake dropped her onto a bench, "weirdo."

As she was strapped to the table, 4DB glanced around, eyes wide. The room they were in was below the lounge: a dim, steel-surfaced laboratory filled with countless racks, island counters, and vile-smelling vats of liquid. From the corner, another Gem approached, footsteps clanking hollowly.

"Well, I never." She hovered over her face, eyes wide and pupils thin. "A Prasiolite! Don't think I've seen one of you since... well, since I was sanctioned by the state." She laughed, cold and mirthless. "I'll need to have a look at you before we start. The ol' memory goes, with all these facts and figures to cram in— but I suppose that's not something you have to worry about."

Snowflake left the room, sealing the door shut behind her. 4DB swallowed— the two of them were alone now. And Biotite didn't seem the empathetic type.

"Let's inspect that little Gem of yours..."

She held up her hands— home-made limb enhancers, sleek and slim —and her right fingertips uncapped, revealing a selection of thin, needle-like implements. She began to poke at 4DB, left fingers hovering over her forearm and tapping notes into its screen.

"Perfectly standard, a little damage..."

"You must be really smart!" 4DB blurted out.

Biotite stared down at her, then laughed.

"Was that your best attempt?" Her fingertips clicked back into place. "Usually my non-Pearl patients at least beg or cuss me out."

She strolled off to one of the racks against the wall, gathering some things. 4DB listened to her bustling, neck craned to try and watch her.

"What kind of experiments do you do?" She tried.

Biotite paused.

"Should I humour her?" She said to no one. "Eh, might as well."

Dropping her handful of tools on the bench, she walked into 4DB's line of sight, slapping a hand on a barrel.

"You see this? This is a revolution." Peeling off the lid, she tilted the whole thing slightly, revealing the black muck within. "I was working on this project for centuries before the ethics board decided to charge me with" she made air-quotes, "'crimes against Gemkind'." Rolling her eyes, she set the barrel down, scooping a bit of its contents into a bowl before capping it again.

"What is it?"

Biotite hummed.

"You'll find out in a moment."

She brought the bowl over, dipping a thin brush into it and then painting the slime over her Gem's crack. 4DB gasped, hot pain piercing her form. She tried to retract, and her bracelet shocked her— there was no escaping.

When the pain stopped, she felt... different. Whole, but not quite right— like a puzzle whose final piece was jammed in from another set. She blinked— there was something else. A scrap of foreign memory clung to the back of her mind. She tried to look at it, but it was a mess: a thousand different senses, selves, dates, all melded together into a blurry, screaming mess.

"What did you do to me?"

"I patched you up." Biotite hung over her again, looking pleased. "That beautiful little concoction is the result of melting down thousands of Gem shards into glue— it'll fill any crack and bond perfectly to the host Gem, restoring full functionality in seconds. Of course, the recipe's not perfect: even separating shards by colour, my patients always grow back a little discoloured. You, for instance, have some yellowish spots on your arms. But it's the best, and only, method of healing injuries!" She laughed. "Can you _believe_ they discharged me?"

4DB's head was spinning.

"But- other people said Pearls die here-"

"Oh, pearls." Biotite's voice sunk into bitterness. "I can't figure them out. Thousands and thousands of shards, I've melted, and they all turn to useless silt! If I could crack that conundrum-" She caught herself, and turned to 4DB. "Huh. Maybe you're cleverer than I thought. You almost had me distracted."

Picking up an implement, she drew it closer to her Gem.

"Wait!" 4DB cried out, desperate. "What are you-"

"Wait and see." She replied, all focus. Her tool scraped against her Gem, sending shivers through her. "You'll have plenty of time to explore your new form, in just a minute..."

With that she struck— blade chipping through her Gem with great precision, and 4DB screamed in blackout agony. She was losing herself, felt bits of her life and mind spiralling off-

It was hours. She was barely conscious, but that little piece of her that kept time was counting every excruciating second.

——

Red pearl clutched her knees, soft fabric of her skirt a small comfort when she rubbed it against her hands. Her friends, the ones she'd tried to free, clung to her— they were a ball in the corner of their chamber. Their wherever.

They could still hear, though there was nothing to listen for. The room, as far as she could tell, was soundproofed— and her initial feeling-about had unearthed nothing but blank surfaces. She'd thought they might've been killed, when the Rubies found them. This was so much worse.

It had to have been hours, trapped in the dark. They couldn't even cry; they'd tried, when their fingers had first met their faces, and found only skin where their eyes had been. But they had no tear ducts, and no voices to scream with.

And if they were still alive, that could only mean they'd be going back to the Room.

When they heard the door open, they gripped each other tighter, mouths gaping soundlessly— Red tried frantically, again, to summon a weapon like a real Gem could. Thankfully, they were safe for the moment; they heard another body tossed in, and a groan that was decidedly not pearl-like.

Red's chest tightened when she realised what it was.

"Hello? Where am I?" The Gem called out, pulling itself up. It was definitely a Prasiolite— hers? No. Impossible. Hers had sold her; why would she be here?

"Hello?" She was crawling towards their group. Her movement sounded stilted. "Please..."

Something brushed against her knee— a foot? A palm? She touched it back, feeling up its length until she reached a shoulder. The Prasiolite put a hand— with no fingers? —on hers, pushing her off. She reached out persistently, this time finding her face. Two eyes. Good.

"What are you doing?" The Prasiolite asked, annoyed.

She bobbed her head in response, pulling her hand away. It scared her, then, that the Prasiolite disappeared to her— she reached out, touching her leg.

 _Are you okay?_ She wanted to ask. _Why are you here?_

Instead, she just gestured, an invitation for her to come closer. The Prasiolite accepted, leaning against her chest.

"I know you." She said suddenly, in surprise at herself. "Don't I? I feel like..." She trailed off, then rolled over onto her side. "Where are we?"

Red placed a hand on her head, finding her Gem's edge. She frowned. _Was_ it her? She'd said she'd forget her, when she was Rejuvenated. Did it not work? Was she remembering?

But why would she come _here?_

"My head hurts." Prasiolite muttered. "I can't see..." She paused, and shifted her head against Red's chest to look up at her. "I know you, don't I?"

Red sighed. Feeling further, she found gouges carved into her Gem— two long streaks down the centre. Biotite must've damaged her memory sector.

Some of the other pearls were moving against her now, leaning in to hear the newcomer. Prasiolite sat up, backing away.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Her voice was laced with panic. She scrambled backwards across the floor. "Where's-" her breath hitched, realisation dawning, "I'm looking for someone."

Red's pulse thrummed in her chest, a hesitant smile dawning on her face. She'd come for her? To take her back? Maybe that was the plan all along, to use the Rejuvenator then trade it back for her. Maybe she was even planning to take her to Earth, so they could be free-

No. That was ridiculous. How could she have done any of that after being reset?

Red clenched her jaw. She had to be realistic: she'd been used and pawned off, and there was nothing more to it. If Prasiolite had ended up in the same place as her, it was just coincidence.

That didn't stop her from feeling some measure of warmth when Prasiolite, again, called out "I know you, don't I?"

Cursing her programming for the loyalty inside her despite it all, she nodded, and crawled forwards to wrap Prasiolite in her arms. The smaller Gem shivered against her, head twitching.

"I know you. I found you." Her voice grew more sure by the second. She glanced up. "Where are we, Pearl?"

Red touched her throat and shook her head. Prasiolite made a sound of acknowledgement, sinking down again. A few minutes later, she asked the same question.

Her nerves were already thin. If their isolation went any longer, she might break down completely.

"Who are they? Where are we?"

It had to be the hundredth time she'd asked. Red had started ignoring her after the sixth.

"Pearl? Pearl?"

The other pearls were getting irritated, reaching past her to poke and slap at Prasiolite. Red fended them off wearily, and they shoved against her too.

"Why don't they like me?"

She placed a finger to Prasiolite's lips, hushing her. A few blissful moments of silence. Everyone settled down.

"I'm really scared." Prasiolite whispered against her skin.

She stilled, moving her hand to cup her cheek and pulling her protectively against her chest. Prasiolite wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I can't see- in my head-" She sobbed, and Red began stroking her hair, sending soothing vibrations through her cells. "All I know is you- and that you can't be here-"

Red wished she could say something. Unsure what— her default suggestions ("Is there anything I can do, my Prasiolite?") weren't things she wanted to voice, and what she could think of ("It's okay", "We're all scared") seemed inadequate.

Then there were the words burning hardest of all: "This is your fault."

She wouldn't mean it, couldn't— could she? When she first realised she was payment for the Rejuvenator, she'd been furious, and had had many cruel thoughts of tracking Prasiolite down and breaking her. But she hadn't meant it. And hearing her now, crying like some freshly-made Gem, only dampened her anger further.

No, she couldn't blame her.

‘And it'd been her friend who planned it all, right?’ A voice in the back of her head reasoned. ‘Maybe she didn't know either. Maybe...’

She dismissed it. Since her gouging, she'd been spending far too much time in her own mind, and sooner or later it was going to drive her insane.

But maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing, if it helped her cope.

A low hum pierced the air. Everyone scurried back, blindly panicked, pressing themselves against the far wall. Red dragged Prasiolite along, clamping a hand to her mouth and shielding her from view.

"How are my lovely ladies going?"

None of them turned to face Biotite. She clicked her tongue, trodding across the room with dull clanks.

"Now, those aren't good manners. Is this how you'll behave when you go back to the Room?" She laughed. "Maybe I should save us all some time and shatter you now."

Spit dried in her throat. Trembling, she pressed herself harder around her Prasiolite— her friends closed in too, heads pushed against her and arms gripping tight like any second they might be wrenched apart.

They couldn't go back there. They had to escape.

Had to escape.

_Had to escape._

Biotite yelped, jumping back. Red felt herself grow bigger, smoother, more _there_ — then something foreign. New clutter in her mind, tools and reels and thoughts and- she opened her eyes- wait-

Rising to her feet, they glanced down at her- Pearl's- Prasiolite's-

Four arms.

"What in-" Biotite stared up at them, mouth agape. Her hands shifted into blasters, and she held them out fearfully. "Stay back!"

They— they weren't sure who she was —gazed back at her, brow furrowed in scrutiny. Their neck was craned against the ceiling- what to do? A dozen voices called out, but all had the same idea: _crush her._

"I said get back, you-!"

Biotite fired a few shots, but they barely felt them. With one huge hand, they swept her up, squeezing her hard enough to set her vibrating. She struggled, face squirming with pain, and shot them a terrified look.

What to say? A million different ideas were spilling out— different chemicals all mixing.

"You..." she paused, thinking. Another part of her offered, "are bad."

Despite her proneness, Biotite smirked.

"That the best you got?"

They lowered their eyelids.

"No."

Raising up their other hand— two were fingerless, still —they grabbed her head, squashing it until her form broke— then some mindless, unhinged part of her put her tiny Gem in their mouth and bit down, mangling it into dust.

Red spat; others spat with her.

‘Let's get out of here.’ They all agreed.

And so, clambering out into the lab, they ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im writing this when i feel like it and not prioritising it like Blue Zircon: The Anime Redemption Arc. so there prob wont be another chapter for a long time. ive drawn a lot of the characters in this story but im gonna make some rlly polished/decent pics and link them w the next chapter
> 
> edit: okok heres all my criminals https://sxnpxrl.tumblr.com/post/190802383223/some-gemsonas-from-my-fic


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